{"id":483,"date":"2015-09-28T19:00:12","date_gmt":"2015-09-28T19:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.drgsmiles.com\/?p=483"},"modified":"2015-09-28T19:00:12","modified_gmt":"2015-09-28T19:00:12","slug":"sommerville-dentist-proper-brushing-flossing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drgsmiles.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/28\/sommerville-dentist-proper-brushing-flossing\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips to Refine Your Brushing and Flossing Techniques"},"content":{"rendered":"![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.drgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ThinkstockPhotos-480320367-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\nLook around you. How many technological devices are within your reach right now? I can touch about five. Yes, the spread of technology has made our lives easier, but somehow we still find ourselves increasingly busy. I think it\u2019s interesting, this idea<\/a> that we\u2019re slowly running out of hours in the day to do everything we need to do. But it\u2019s more than a little scary, too — especially because it seems to have crept into our lives so much that too often, we forget to do the most basic, important things. Here\u2019s a terrifying example: many adults admit they often neglect to brush their teeth at night, due to simple exhaustion or forgetfulness. <\/strong>\n\nIf you\u2019re among the 25 percent of adults who only brush once a day, or if you feel too busy to do more than a \u201cscrub and rinse\u201d with your toothbrush, you\u2019ve just got to change your thinking. We know that bad brushing leads to tooth decay, which ultimately means even more pain and time lost later on — as time-consuming procedures like root canals or extractions become necessary.\n\nRefresh yourself on the proper brushing and flossing techniques — it\u2019s worth your time.<\/strong>\n\nTip #1: Put in the time\n\nHealthy, strong teeth are an investment. And like any good investment, their care takes time. To ensure your teeth are as healthy as possible, you should make sure you\u2019re brushing for two minutes a day, twice a day. Unfortunately, most adults are far from reaching that two minute mark. If you need help, try setting your phone\u2019s timer until you get used to what two minutes feels like.\n\nTip #2: Get the magic touch\n\nThere are a couple of keys to proper brushing techniques. First is the angle: make sure you\u2019re brushing at a 45 degree angle. This makes it easier to roll the brush down away from the gum, covering your whole tooth. Second is the motion: side-to-side brushing can lead to scrapes and gum recession — two things you don\u2019t want. Instead, brush up and down, in small circles. And finally, watch your pressure: hard brushing is damaging to gums, too. Brush softly to really care for your teeth.\n\nTip #3: Change your routine\n\nIf you\u2019re always brushing areas of your mouth in the same order, the ones you brush last could be getting sloppy care. Make sure you switch up your routine now and then to ensure you\u2019re giving all areas of your teeth equally good brushing. Go from outside to inside, up to down and then the chewing surfaces, or vice versa. Just make sure you\u2019re brushing intentionally, and getting all the areas clean, every single time.\n\nTip #4: Brush your tongue\n\nYour brush harbors the same decay- and odor-causing bacteria that hide between your teeth, so there\u2019s no reason to skip this part of your mouth while you\u2019re brushing. For best results, clean it the same as you do your teeth: softly brush it up and down, then back and forth.\n![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.drgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ThinkstockPhotos-480320367.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\nLook around you. How many technological devices are within your reach right now? I can touch about five. Yes, the spread of technology has made our lives easier, but somehow we still find ourselves increasingly busy. I think it\u2019s interesting, this idea<\/a> that we\u2019re slowly running out of hours in the day to do everything we need to do. But it\u2019s more than a little scary, too — especially because it seems to have crept into our lives so much that too often, we forget to do the most basic, important things. Here\u2019s a terrifying example: many adults admit they often neglect to brush their teeth at night, due to simple exhaustion or forgetfulness. <\/strong>\n\nIf you\u2019re among the 25 percent of adults who only brush once a day, or if you feel too busy to do more than a \u201cscrub and rinse\u201d with your toothbrush, you\u2019ve just got to change your thinking. We know that bad brushing leads to tooth decay, which ultimately means even more pain and time lost later on — as time-consuming procedures like root canals or extractions become necessary.\n\nRefresh yourself on the proper brushing and flossing techniques — it\u2019s worth your time.<\/strong>\n\nTip #1: Put in the time\n\nHealthy, strong teeth are an investment. And like any good investment, their care takes time. To ensure your teeth are as healthy as possible, you should make sure you\u2019re brushing for two minutes a day, twice a day. Unfortunately, most adults are far from reaching that two minute mark. If you need help, try setting your phone\u2019s timer until you get used to what two minutes feels like.\n\nTip #2: Get the magic touch\n\nThere are a couple of keys to proper brushing techniques. First is the angle: make sure you\u2019re brushing at a 45 degree angle. This makes it easier to roll the brush down away from the gum, covering your whole tooth. Second is the motion: side-to-side brushing can lead to scrapes and gum recession — two things you don\u2019t want. Instead, brush up and down, in small circles. And finally, watch your pressure: hard brushing is damaging to gums, too. Brush softly to really care for your teeth.\n\nTip #3: Change your routine\n\nIf you\u2019re always brushing areas of your mouth in the same order, the ones you brush last could be getting sloppy care. Make sure you switch up your routine now and then to ensure you\u2019re giving all areas of your teeth equally good brushing. Go from outside to inside, up to down and then the chewing surfaces, or vice versa. Just make sure you\u2019re brushing intentionally, and getting all the areas clean, every single time.\n\nTip #4: Brush your tongue\n\nYour brush harbors the same decay- and odor-causing bacteria that hide between your teeth, so there\u2019s no reason to skip this part of your mouth while you\u2019re brushing. For best results, clean it the same as you do your teeth: softly brush it up and down, then back and forth.\n